The present invention relates to a method for releasably rigidly fastening two members intersecting at an angle in an overlapping relationship, and more particularly to a method for releasably rigidly fastening two standardized metal beams such as metal H-beams or the like intersecting substantially at right angles and lying one upon another. The present invention relates also to fastening means adapted to be used for carrying out the method in accordance with the present invention.
For instance, when a bridge is to be erected, in general, first a temporary bridge for construction has to be erected for use as scaffolding, and the temporary bridge is disassembled and withdrawn after completion of the object bridge.
In such a case, it has hitherto been the general practice that two standardized steel beams such as metal H-beams or the like to be used as e.g. a temporary bridge are rigidly fastened together at a portion where they are intersected at an angle e.g. substantially at right angles in an overlapping fashion with bolts being passed through bolt holes previously formed in the H-beams, respectively, or rivetted or welded together with or without doubling plates being interposed therebetween. However, if such a procedure were adopted for the erection of e.g. a temporary bridge, or the like, since it is required to have the H-beams or the like disassembled and withdrawn once the bridge has been completed, one would encounter various inconveniences as exemplified below: it takes too long a time to assemble the beams, the disassembly thereof is troublesome, and the beams themselves become severely damaged as they are repeatedly used since they have to be subjected to some working each time they are used. Further, when one desires to change the position of intersection of the two beams the positions of the bolt holes, etc. previously formed also have to be changed accordingly, so in practise such a change is possible only within a very limited range.
The present invention aims at discarding all the inconveniences as outlined above which are encountered when two standardized beams such as metal H-beams are to be releasably rigidly fastened together at their intersected portion in an overlapping relationship. The present invention is particularly suitable for releasably rigidly fastening two standardized metal H-beams where they are intersected substantially at right angles in an overlapping relationship.